Football | 4/9/2026 10:00:00 AM

BALTIMORE, Md. (April 9, 2026) -- The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday the members of the 2026 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, with four Morgan State student-athletes earning recognition.

Representing the Bears on this year's list are John Griffith, Arturo Mattocks, Tahj Smith, and Uriel Rodriguez-Campos.

The NFF Hampshire Honor Society recognizes college football players from all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA, and sprint football who maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or higher throughout their college careers. Morgan State's four honorees are part of a record-setting class of 2,596 players from 365 schools nationwide.

Now in its 20th year, the Hampshire Honor Society honors student-athletes who were starters or significant contributors during the 2025 season, have been enrolled in school for at least three years, and achieved a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale.

Among Morgan State's honorees: 

• John Griffith (Linthicum, Md.) was a reserve quarterback for the Bears and is set to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in applied liberal arts, carrying a 4.0 GPA.
• Arturo Mattocks (Montgomery Village, Md.), the Bears' starting linebacker, was sidelined by injury during the 2025 season. He will graduate with an applied liberal studies and he has a 3.31 GPA
• Tahj Smith (Fredericksburg, Va.), Morgan State's starting quarterback and a 2024 MEAC All-Academic Team selection, missed the 2025 season due to injury. He will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship and a 3.33 GPA.
• Uriel Rodriguez-Campos (Fremont, Calif.) served as an offensive lineman for the Bears and graduated in December with a bachelor's degree in sociology, posting a 3.22 GPA.

"Twenty years ago, college coaches around the country came to the National Football Foundation asking us to recognize not just their top student-athlete, but the numerous student-athletes on their teams who were also excelling at the highest levels in the classroom," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Their voices led to the creation of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, and two decades later, the results speak for themselves. Year after year, we continue to see remarkable academic achievements across college football."
 
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society has recognized 23,568 student-athletes from 691 schools since 2007. The 2026 class, which includes a record 2,596 players from 365 schools, represents the largest group in the program's history and underscores the sustained academic achievement taking place across all levels of college football.

The Hampshire Honor Society recognizes players from college football programs at all levels. The complete list can be found on the NFF website, footballfoundation.org.



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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.